


homecoming

by hectorpriamides



Category: Fire Emblem Echoes: Mou Hitori no Eiyuu Ou | Fire Emblem Echoes: Shadows of Valentia, Fire Emblem Series
Genre: Gen, platonic genny/saber, post canon what if, saber is genny's dad and sonya her mom. sorry i do make the rules., sorry that sounded really cocky. you can do as you please as long as you don't ship genny/saber., witch!sonya
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-12-04
Updated: 2017-12-04
Packaged: 2019-02-10 08:06:51
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,640
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12907737
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hectorpriamides/pseuds/hectorpriamides
Summary: Genny can't stomach the thought that Sonya turned into a witch. Six years after the war, she sets off on her quest to check on the mage, and hires an old mercenary friend to accompany her.





	homecoming

word reaches novis concerning fear mountain, of another mage taking up residence in its halls. nuibaba’s witches had been released when she died (slain by king alm’s sword, genny knows the tale well), building abandon but now witches litter the place once more. genny grieves for the girls lost souls, but not much more can be done. duma’s power, like mila’s, must wane from the land and the people’s hearts.

she fears, though, curled on her bed, staff clutched in shaking fingers, when descriptions of the witch spreads. brilliant purple hair, unrivaled magical power, gloved hands that open the doors to the lost witches. it’s said that her eyes are as dull as the rest, and genny cannot stand for that, certainly when her letters never receive reply. sonya can’t be lost to a power that no longer exists.

seeing is believing; genny writes a dear old friend a letter, and books passage on a ship to the zofian shore.

* * *

 

mae frets terribly.

"do you have clothes? money? food? ack!" genny lets the words lull over her, repacking her sack to show mae the contents.

clothes: check.

coat: check.

money: check.

food: check.

staff: check.

journal: check.

a very pregnant mae is watched over by boey, leaning against the door of genny’s room. his chocolate eyes watch the bubblegum mage who teeters on swollen feet. naturally, he keeps watch on genny as well, still two years younger, still baby-faced and dutifully serving as a cleric, healing those who come to priory doors, dispelling what terrors remain. and now, _baby_ genny finds herself subjected to mae’s maternal agitation. genny is use to it, having been the youngest orphan at novis for the longest time.

the sun creeps up, light streaming through the stone windows. priory bells clang their song denoting the six hours passed since the height of night. sixteen years at novis has accustomed her to their noise. well, only fifthteen once their...crusade against duma was complete. the one she should have stayed home from.

the priestess sighs loudly, pinching her round cheeks, pulling genny’s face up to look at her. something fierce burns in her eyes. they’ve been through alot together, she wagers. fought duma along with celi- _queen_ celica. she developed into a proper saint, the blossoming sprout for her book, and she met wonderful comrades. “you come back home now, you here? celica’d kill us if you died. i’ll kill boey if you die,” she says softly to her. she wears a little pout; genny feels her heart drop. thankfully, boey distracts her.

“the hell did i do?” the sage screeches, standing straight.

“you won’t go with her! she’s going _alone_! her!” the shout goes over her head. the closest thing to arguing parents she has. nomah never raised his voice.

boey stomps his foot. “i would if i could! she doesn’t want me to! and _you’re_ about to pop.”

genny disengages from mae. “i’m-i’m old enough to take care of myself,” she says, voice still high, voice still cracking. “you need to be careful, mae.” she throws in for extra measure, “i hired a mercenary to escort me once i get to shore. i’ll be okay.” if she had the moxy, she’d mention to mae’s face that it’s the pregnancy hormones making her act this way, that once her and boey have their first son (healing magic is _amazing_ ) she’ll calm down. if she was in the right mind, she’d concede and understand that genny can take care of herself, did so for their year long war.

mae kisses her forehead; her nose crinkles. “little theo needs his aunt genny in his life.”

“i know.” she nods, adding on, “i have to go now.” the corner of her eye catches boey grabbing her bag and shouldering it. she can see where this is going. but if boey wants to walk her down to the harbor, mostly to assure mae, then she won’t tell him _no._

the bag is a little heavy anyway.

* * *

thanks to alm and celica’s rule, order returned to the seas. trade ships pass one another, not filled with cantors and pirates out for celica’s scarlet head. she can relax, given plenty of room by the sailors, respectful of the _holy woman_ in their presence. not that there is anyone to be holy to. it is out of habit that she prays.

her trip is peaceful, and she has the chance to write drafts in her journal, of t _he princess reuniting with her father, tears streaming down her face. haggard from the effects of front line fighting, the princess would drop her sword to the dusty floors of the war-ravished palace. the elegant curved blade would clatter off the marble. her king father would whip his head around, shoulder length, pale blue hair flitting around his head. “daughter,” the king sighs, the shaft of his lance parallel to his lean body. this is fiction, and genetics mean nothing; the princess sobs a breath in happiness, exaltation, head of dusty green hair falling to embrace him. smoke rises from the ruins of their kingdom, but it matters not, daughter and father reunited safely; horses whinny outside the warning of encroaching soldiers, but together, the duo can cut the throats of any-_

“miss gen’?” a seaman’s polite knock. she is a holy woman, and none of the men want to encroach on someone so pure (and maybe, just maybe, mae gave the crew an earful). “we’re ‘ere. yo’r bodyguard is ‘ere as well. he’s askin’ to see ya.”

genny stashes away her journal. “he-he can come in!” she stutters. her hair is greasy from being at sea for so long, but she never worries about her appearance. not with him.

saber has cleaned up since she last saw him. neatly trimmed, his beard managed close to his jawline, smelling much fresher than her. a tinge of grey to his dulled orange hair. six years since the war ended, and his duties to the other mercenary’s kingdom and his position at celica’s side has worn on him. but he still has an easy, confident smirk on his face. he does look a little unnatural, collar of his shirt folded down, somewhat new boots.

she’s spent too much time in her thoughts. “it’s good to see you again, lass,” he says fondly. genny has missed him tremendously, and seeing him in the flesh, not in short, brief letters, causes an unusual _joy_ to bubble up in her chest. this man carried her through the war. three years since alm and celica’s marriage, and that was when she last saw him. too long.

genny nods. “thanks for coming to get me,” she replies. she smiles back at him, laughing too. “i need a bath,” she fumbles out, small fist rubbing at the crust around her eyes. much as she wants to, it would be nasty to embrace him now (they spent a _war_ together, and a few weeks on a boat is what she’s worried about).

“i figured you would. got a room at an inn and everything.” he steps close to her, flicking a stringy bang out of her face. “you’ve seen better days, kid.”

the cleric ducks her head. “i know.” before she can stutter out something else, saber draws her into a hug. the sway of the boat beneath them is less noticeable now, and she hugs back, rod thin arms wiggling their way around his waist. “i’m gross,” she grumbles, the span of his hand easily covering the small of her back. she’s been here before; they danced at celica’s wedding, head levelled with his chest, stepping on his feet the entire time to the swell of violins until the dancing turned more debauched and she sat down, watching the alcohol flushed saber dancing amongst the other mercenaries.

saber chuckles. “i don’t care, lassie, it’s good to see you again.”

* * *

the soft cotton of her night gown could lull her to sleep, coupled with the residual heat from the bath and the meat in her stomach. there’s work to be done, however, so she only picks at an orange.

“you were intentionally vague in your letters, i assume?” saber accuses, feet kicked up on the table (but away from the food to not be unclean), balancing back on the chair’s hind legs. “what’s up with sonya?”

genny can talk about that, no problem. “we never met her, but on the opposite side of rigel there lived a witch nuibaba. she would kidnap girls and consume their souls to remain youthful, turning them into witches. king alm and sister silque took care of her.” she rubs away water on her neck. rumors, it’s all fake, but she loves sonya. “there’s-there’s a rumor that sonya has taken up in nuibaba’s old home and that she’s...keeping up tradition. i’m going to fear mountain to verify. you don’t have to come with me, if you don’t want to. mae wouldn’t let me leave alone though.”

the hilt of his blessed sword twinkles in the candle light. “sonya wouldn’t get caught up in witchcraft,” he says, “not after everything.” genny still sees the mage’s streak faced at times, the cutting edge of excalibur whipping above her hand, jedah’s pathetic cries of _think of your sisters_!

she nods somberly. “i know. but i couldn’t sleep not knowing her fate.” genny wants to fancy herself strong to kill sonya, if it came down to it, one seraphim to the face, but never. sonya has been too kind to her.

“well aren’t you sweet.” he hums, a quick swallow of rum. “i’ll come. no way you’re making it there yourself.”

she dampens her excitement. “i-i can’t hire you.”

“on the house.” he flops down on all four feet. “if she’s that important to you, than she’s that important to me.”

**Author's Note:**

> man saber is so hot. anyway. future chapters will be longer. thanks for chiming in.


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